Securing Files and Sharing Photos: Digital Business Platform

This project details the digital transformation of a photography and modeling business, aiming to establish a new digital platform. It provides recommendations for file server configurations, specifically Windows File Server and the advantages it offers. The project also suggests the use of Linux and Windows operating systems for different purposes, emphasizing the strengths of each. It outlines crucial steps to secure computers and maintain data integrity, including system updates, firewalls, anti-virus software, two-factor authentication, and data encryption. Furthermore, it explores various backup solutions such as synchronization software (Dropbox, Google Drive), external drives, NAS, and AOMEI Backupper, as well as YuruBackup for cloud-based backups. The project also covers secure methods for accessing file servers remotely (SSH, SCP, Cloud, FTP) and secure photo-sharing platforms like Google Drive, Pixieset, and peer-to-peer networks. The overall objective is to provide a comprehensive guide for digitizing the business, ensuring data security, and facilitating secure sharing of photos with clients. The project cites relevant academic sources to support the recommendations.

Student id- 110309282
System Assignment
 Summary
According to your scenario and requirements, you want to make your modelling and
photography business, which was started by your father, into a new digital platform. The
main objective of this article is to give you the information about how you will turn your
business digitally, how you can secure files, pictures and how you can securely share pictures
with your clients. According to your needs I understand that you require some information
about the system which you are going to use for scanning, picture editing, managing or
uploading pictures on server from remote locations. Along with this you also need some
information about backups and how to maintain integrity and security of your pictures and
client’s data.
 File server configuration and operating system
File server is the facility available to access files or data electronically (Stoehr, PJ & Omond,
RA, 1989). File servers allows users to access files and also to store file on the servers which
can access from remote location. I will recommend using Windows File Server (2003 and
2008 Servers) and windows operating system for your system. Windows file server has many
advantages compare to Linux servers. For using windows file server, you must have some
requirements that must be installed into your system. The specifications of a file server
comprise of a large hard drive, a high CPU rate and decent amount of RAM. Requirements
are minimum of 32 GB of disk space which should be nonredundant. Process should be of
1.4 GHz 64-bit processor, Compatible with x64 instruction set, Supports NX and DEP. File
server also require 200 GB of RAID 5 disk space. RSCD agent should be installed and should
be the same version as the Application Server.
I recommend this server because of some advantages which is listed below.
Advantage of Using windows file server:
 Easy association of the whole record stock
 High level of clarity
 Convenient record sharing
 Collaboration without version clashes
 Relief of customer PCs (practically unlimited storage)
 Remote access through WebDAV, (S)FTP, or SCP is possible
 Data insurance and security in your own hands
 Centrality- Only authorized participants can access files
 Two other computers and operating systems
Computers are nothing but a great data manipulation engine, when programmed correctly
gives extreme precise information in what they do. As mentioned, right now you own
Windows 7 operating system-based computer, which is outdated version for the business in
which you involved in. Looking for the computer upgrade to manage digital scanning of all
photos and documentation and for the safe and secure storage you should lean towards
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Student id- 110309282
Linux operating system. And for daily use I will recommend you Windows system as it is very
easy to use and more user friendly even to a new user.
LINUX - Linux operating system is an open source software and it is easily customized to be
bundled with other distributions. Comparing with the other operating system Linux is
secure. Linux has the different data storing style compare to windows and mac. In Linux,
users have all control on updates too, you can experience that wherever updates required it
will update without reboot. Another reality that shows Linux to be strong are the web
servers. You can see that mostly all the Internet beasts such as Google and Facebook
continue run on Linux.
WINDOWS -On the other hand, you also require a computer which can very well perform
photoshop features so for that I recommend that a system with Windows OS, 10th
generation Intel core i7 processor with 16gb internal memory and 1 TB of hard disk would be
a perfect combination. For using photoshop and different photo editing application Linux is
not better choice as it doesn’t supports photoshop whereas Windows supports all editing
applications and also has some good inbuilt applications you can use for different designs as
well as windows is user-friendly so it will be very easy for you to use new applications.
 Steps to secure computers and maintain security
It’s mandatory to secure private and important data and computers as well. There are
various ways you can secure your computers such as.
a. Keep up with system updates: system updates can usually seem like annoyance, but
it is important to stay updated. Along with adding new features, updates sometimes
cover security features also. Not only Operating system should keep up to date but
software that are running in your system should also kept updated.
b. Enable a firewall: Firewall is a wall between your computer and internet, designed
to block unauthorized access to computer and networks. It closes the ports of the
system to stop threats from entering into the system.
c. Install anti-virus software: system connected to the internet is indirectly an
invitation to the viruses and threats which includes trojan horse, malware attacks
and many more. Anti-virus is not completely safe, but it can help to prevent your
system from attacks and threats.
d. Two-factor authentication: While connecting to a network, in addition to enter
username and password, you should also require two factor authentications i.e.
after entering username and password you need to enter another code which you
will receive via text to your smartphone or by email id provided.
e. Encrypt data: Whilst using your computer for storing files like video and photos, it is
worth protecting that information. Encrypt data is the way to stop your data to fall
into wrong hands. Data which is encrypted will require some keys to decrypt data.
 Back Up
Backing up of the data is necessary. In past, it was very complicated to backup data but now
thanks to all new software as well as hardware and services, it has become very easy to
backup. Another age of backup over distributed(cloud) storage needs to perform well in
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Student id- 110309282
framework versatility, which ensures that the backup system can satisfy the dynamic needs
of reinforcement from an enormous number of customer. There are various ways to manage
backups of the computer and server data, which Kristi can depend upon. For instance: -
o If you want to operate two computers simultaneously so to make some changes in
file in both the devices, synchronization software’s like Dropbox, Google Drive,
Microsoft OneDrive and iClouds is a must. This software also includes backup of files
online, so that you can have access anywhere even via smartphones.
o External Drives. This is the faster and much easier way to transfer and protect
computer data, just plug-in and it’s done.
o If you want to allow storage access with the colleagues on a network than the best
option is to use NAS (Network Attached Storage). It’s a live storage drive on a
network. Moreover, NAS is used to back up multiple systems in home or office.
o AOMEI Backupper: it supports the back up of four types: disk backup, partition
backup, file/folder backup, and system backup. All backup data is stored to the
internal or external drive or at network shared folder. Positive point is it stored the
encrypted backup protected with password. Every time when backup is finished user
will receive email notification. Scheduling is also supported which allow you to
choose your time of backup.
For your systems backup I present YuruBackup, a space-effective and profoundly
versatile gradual reinforcement framework in the cloud. YuruBackup empowers fine-
grained information de-duplication with progressive partitioning to improve space
productivity to lessen data transfer capacity of both backup and restore procedures, and
capacity costs. Then again, YuruBackup investigates a profoundly versatile design for
unique finger impression servers that permits to include at least one unique mark
servers progressively to adapt to expanding customers (Xu, Q, Zhao, L, Xiao, M, Liu, A &
Dai, Y 2015).
 Method of providing secure access to the file server
there are various methods you can use for securely access file server from remote location
such as SSH, SCP, Cloud, Dropbox, FTP.
 SSH (Secure Shell) - Secure Shell (SSH) is a protocol used for operating secure
remote login over an unsecured network. It has the capability of transferring siles
securely from remote location. It gives a few elective choices to strong
authentication, and it ensures the correspondences security and integrity with solid
encryption. SSSH protocol is used for secure access to clients and process,
automated file transfers and allow remote commands. By trading the open key
utilizing SSH convention itself, a hover of common trust can be initialized between
overseen gadgets and a central organization console. (Peng, J & Zhao, X 2010).
 SCP (Secure Copy protocol) - The secure copy protocol is a network protocol that
supports the secure file transfer between host on a network. Main advantage of
using SCP is when it transfers data, it is transferred in an encrypted form so that no
one can snoop data.
 Method for sharing photos
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Student id- 110309282
It is a critical part whilst sharing pictures with clients as it may happen that it goes on wrong
hand. So, there are different methods you can use for sharing pictures with clients for
instances: -
 Google Drive have many different features apart from back up it also work perfectly as a
photo sharing application to the clients. It’s easy to use and a free account offers 15GB of
storage, but one can upgrade this by paying a monthly or annual fee. Moreover, you can
also assign different rights for examples viewing the files only or enabling editing when
sharing with them.
 Another great method for sharing photos is through Pixieset. It has a great feature which
allow clients to download the images with a 4-digit PIN number, one of the secure ways to
deliver high-quality photos. Moreover, when the client picks up their favourites or
downloads the photo from gallery you will get notification. It offers both free and paid
version.
 Peer-to-Peer Networks- peer to peer network is an application architecture where each
peers are connected with each other and everyone has equal privileged and have equal
rights and access to the server. Peer too peer is mainly used for sharing files.
 REFERENCES:
1. Peng, J & Zhao, X 2010, ‘SSH-Based Device Identity and Trust Initialization’, Information
Security Journal: A Global Perspective, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 237–242.
2. Stoehr, PJ & Omond, RA 1989, ‘The EMBL Network File Server’, Nucleic Acids Research,
vol. 17, no. 16, pp. 6763–4.
3. Xu, Q, Zhao, L, Xiao, M, Liu, A & Dai, Y 2015, ‘YuruBackup: A Space-Efficient and Highly
Scalable Incremental Backup System in the Cloud’, International Journal of Parallel
Programming, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 316–338.
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